


Familiar

by abigail89



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Books, Gen, Libraries, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-18
Updated: 2013-10-18
Packaged: 2017-12-29 19:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1008943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abigail89/pseuds/abigail89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ichabod discovers one thing about the 21st century he understands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Familiar

**Author's Note:**

> Oh goddammit. Another fandom reels me in.

"Wait! Stop this auto-mobile!" Ichabod cries, turning wildly in the passenger seat. He fumbles with the catch of the seat belt. "Stop!"

"WHAT?" Abbie says, stepping hard on the brake pedal. "What do you see?"

"Go back," he commands. "Go back to that building we just passed."

"I can’t just reverse the car right here," Abbie replies. "But I can make the block. Just hold your horses, Crane."

Ichabod keeps his eyes firmly on the structure that has captured his attention, while Abbie makes a left at the light, stopping as a car cuts in front of them. “Hey! Watch it!” she shouts, and thinks about pulling him over. But it’s raining and cold and, really, it’s just not worth it.

She’s struck at how quiet Ichabod has become. Usually, the guy chatters on, making pithy, sometimes hilarious yet totally serious observations about life around him. Every day, she’s more impressed with this man, this time traveler, who is adapting better to modern life than if she were to visit the 18th century. Yeah, the lack of indoor plumbing and automatic weapons would send her over the edge.

“‘Sleepy Hollow Public Library’,” he reads. “Why didn’t you tell me you have libraries in this time?”

Abbie pulls into a parking space in front of the modern building. “I thought you knew. I mean, you’ve visited the town archives.”

"Archives and libraries are different institutions," Ichabod says as he alights from the car, and walks quickly. "In my time, libraries were restricted. But this library is for the public to use?"

Abbie follows, locking the door to the car hastily and pulling her jacket over her head. “Of course. All you need is a library card.”

"Fascinating." He smiles as he enters and shakes off the rain clinging to his wool jacket. "We are truly in a democratic society."

He steps onto the main floor and inhales deeply, closing his eyes as he does. “Now this is familiar,” he says, looking around. “Yet, strangely not. The books are so colorful. And there are so many!”

Abbie comes in and nods at the librarian at the circulation desk. “Lieutenant Mills,” the woman says, “it’s nice to see you.”

"You too." Abbie considers introducing Ichabod but it would take too long and be too complicated and…yeah, maybe later.

Ichabod strides down one aisle and up another, stopping occasionally to touch a book or take it off the shelf for a cursory look. His face is filled with wonder and a big, rather goofy smile.

"You’d think he’d never seen a library before," the librarian says before turning away to help a patron.

"Not one like this," Abbie murmurs to herself.

Thirty minutes later, Ichabod emerges from the stacks with two books in hand. “Lieutenant, may I look over these books for a while?”

"You can borrow them." Abbie digs her wallet out of her bag and finds her library card.

"Borrow? You mean, I can remove them from the library?"

"Of course. I’m afraid you can’t be issued a card until you have a more permanent address than the motel. But I think I can trust you not to lose them."

Ichabod looks scandalized. “Of course not! I would not dream of losing them or damaging them or—”

"Crane, I’m kidding." They walk over to the circ desk where the librarian scans the card and then the books.

"I hope you enjoy those," she says. "Due back in three weeks."

"My word!" he says as they walk away. "The library allows books to go off with people for _three_ weeks? In my time if I got to borrow one _overnight_ it was by special permission, and I have faculty privilege.”

"Your tax dollars at work."

Ichabod hides the books under his jacket as they return to the car. He climbs in, buckles up, and immediately opens one.

They drive in total silence. “If I’d known this was what would shut you up, I’d have brought you sooner,” Abbie says.

Ichabod doesn’t hear her. He’s reading.

  


**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Familiar](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1105272) by [Readbyanalise010](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Readbyanalise010/pseuds/Readbyanalise010)




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